1. It sure is raining.
Meredith, Derek, Cristina, Arizona, Callie, and Jackson (because of the Harper-Avery Foundation) now own the hospital and are getting into the swing of running things. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) is in labor, prematurely but not alarmingly so, yet she is quite sure something terrible will happen. (Since it always does.) Oh, and it is pouring.
2. “The Perfect Storm”
That’s the name of the episode. In Meredith’s voiceover, she tells the story of a professor of hers who died during a routine surgery: because everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Cristina (Sandra Oh) are running down the hallway, freaking out. But it’s even worse, because they’re in slow-motion.
3. It’s never a good thing when this happens.
4. Owen has to say goodbye to Ethan.
Over a number of episodes, Owen (Kevin McKidd) had become attached to Ethan, a kid whose parents were both in dire straits (but now the dad is recovering). When it seemed like Ethan might be orphaned, Owen suggested that he might adopt Ethan, which convinced Cristina for once and for all that Owen needs to have a child. Which she does not want. They’re doomed, and it’s sad. (By the way, Owen sending Ethan and his father off in a helicopter during what seems to be a tsunami looked like it would be a disaster, but they get off OK, apparently.)
5. Cristina tells Owen that she is onto him with the kid thing.
6. Cristina finds out Meredith is in labor and goes to her.
7. Bailey, meanwhile, still hasn’t been able to operate.
Having transmitted staph infections to patients who ended up dying, Bailey (Chandra Wilson) has been freaking out. (Even though crappy surgical gloves were truly to blame.) The Chief — Richard Webber (James PIckens Jr.) hasn’t been Chief of Surgery for several seasons, but he is the Chief to me — has been trying to tough-love her back into the OR. It does not work; she freaks out again.
8. The lights keep flickering. The electrician, Frank, tells them not to worry.
Obviously, they should worry. And Frank should really worry.
9. Chekhov’s gun.
The newly engaged Kepner (Sarah Drew) tells Callie (Sara Ramirez) she’s not used to wearing her ring. Callie tells her to pin it to her scrub top. Foreshadowing! If there is a ring pinned to a scrub top in the first chapter, to paraphrase Anton Chekhov, then it must signify how infidelity will be revealed in the second or third chapter. That, my friends, is what Chekhov meant. Except with scrubs and sapphism instead of rifles.
10. Arizona is a cheater!
She had sex with Peyton from One Tree Hill (Hilarie Burton). Who is playing a hot pediatric something or other, put there to tempt Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) from her fraught relationship with Callie.
11. In the NICU, things start to get wonky.
Like you would think they might during a superstorm or whatever it is. Arizona has to accept the help of Peyton from One Tree Hill.
12. Meredith’s OB, played by Lisa Gay Hamilton, tells her she needs a C-section.
Because, she says, “I can feel your baby’s face.” Eeeeeeekkkk. Meredith and Derek fight this decision for a bit, but then capitulate.
13. The power then goes out for good.
Meredith can’t believe — yet, sort of can believe — that she’s going to be operated on in the dark.
14. The chief is operating on the patient Bailey bailed on.
The man needs open-heart surgery, which calls for Cristina. The chief takes some time to yell at Frank, the electrician. Who then goes down into the basement to try to fix the problem.
15. The batteries in the NICU ventilators have started to die.
The red light over Peyton from One Tree Hill‘s left shoulder is a warning light.
16. In the first of many inspiring speeches, the chief convinces Cristina to perform open-heart surgery by flashlight.
This episode really belongs to James Pickens Jr. more than anyone. Chief!
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